Help me choose

Been reading on here a while and decided to register so I can get some opinions about my next purchase.

First, a little background: I've owned a variety of handguns over the years but sold most of my collection (long guns and handguns) a few years ago when things got tough. Now I'm looking to get started again.

Since I've owned a wide variety of makes, calibers, etc., over the years I can make an argument either way for the guns I'm looking at. I'll add that I've owned some version of all of these and have no issues with any. There aren't any that I don't like, don't shoot well (for me anyway).

Let me know what you think and why. I can make a case for all of them, just wanted some different views. I don't have a dog in this fight so if you see something you hate let me know ( and let me know why)

Honestly, you have all the important information needed to make the best decision. There has to be one here that you shoot better than the rest. That's the one you should buy. With one exception, there's no technical / mechanical reason to disqualify any of them, so all you're going to get are people making unhelpful arguments for the brand to which they feel most attached.

But I will argue that you should eliminate the Taurus from consideration. Taurus guns are stuffed with low-quality internals, and the company continues to have the worst QC of any major gun maker. The odds of your need to work with their shoddy CS are high. And even if the gun doesn't have problems out of the gate, I would be extremely uncomfortable relying on an emergency tool with so many low-quality, weak-link essential components.

JeeperCreeper

September 24, 2014, 02:24 AM

I think they are all good guns. So any that you choose will not be a bad choice.

I picked the PT1911. I like 1911's and I think any 1911 is serviceable. Parts are everywhere. If you want a good deal, look at the Rock island Armory 1911's by Armscor. The will be cheaper and arguably better (opinion). I like hammer fired, all steel guns. 1911's are gorgeous and feel great. The aren't the best design out there, but it just feels right shooting them. The sound of a 1911 firing just sounds like "America" to my ears. That's why I like the 1911

I would vote the XD's for second. They fit my hand nicely and the triggers are great for a striker gun (opinion). Arguably as reliable as a Glock.

I vote Glocks last. They are great guns, with a great reputation and aftermarket. However, to own one you must join a cult and sell your soul to the Austrian Glock Devil. They do everything good, but nothing special for me (opinion). I also don't like the unsupported chambers and polygonal rifling, but if you shoot factory ammo, then forget I even mentioned it.

Good luck, again, every choice will be a good one so have fun regardless!!!

bannockburn

September 24, 2014, 07:48 AM

Well a lot depends on how the gun itself feels in your hand and how comfortable you are with the gun's size and ergonomics. Out of the choices you have listed I would probably go with the Glock 23 in that it's a good size for both range use and concealed carry, there's lots of factory support available, as well as aftermarket accessories.

ritepath

September 24, 2014, 08:03 AM

I hate ported barrels and grip safeties. I don't like glock or taurus.

Of those listed I'd have to go with the G23 except I'd pick it up in the form of a CZ p-07, or M&P.

Or find a G20...

MyGreenGuns

September 24, 2014, 08:08 AM

I voted XD9. I love mine. Its my absolute favorite pistol.

I didn't care much for the XD(m) versions. It seemed like they tried to dress it up and make it "cool".

I would cast a 2nd vote for the 1911. I'm enjoying mine. I have almost as much fun disassemble/reassemble as I do shooting it.

This being said, hard to provide advice without knowing what the intended purpose is. Home defense, carry gun, just a range blaster? Give more info and you'll get better opinions...

TarDevil

September 24, 2014, 09:19 AM

+1 what bannockburn said.

JTQ

September 24, 2014, 10:00 AM

They all will probably be fine, but my question would be why this group?

1. Springfield XD-9, ported barrel, new. 520.00

The XD9 is a pretty good gun. Why do you want a ported barrel? What's wrong with a regular XD9?

2. Taurus PT1911, used 520.00

There are lots of 1911's available, why the Taurus? Their reputation is not good.

3. Glock 23 Gen 3 New 490.00

4. Glock 22 Gen 2 used 400.00
Remember, the reason we have Gen 4 Glocks at all is because of the previous Generations of .40S&W Glocks. If you want a Glock in .40S&W you would be better off with a Gen 4. Any reason you're not interested in a G17/G19? You mention the XD9 above so apparently 9mm is an OK choice. Glocks best guns are typically the 9mm models, G17/G19/G34.

5. Springfield XDM .45 new 580.00
Probably a good gun, but .45 ammo will be more expensive than 9mm or .40S&W.

460Kodiak

September 24, 2014, 06:22 PM

I chose the XDM .45. GLOCKS are fine, but I prefer XDM's and I simply wont spend my money on a Taurus.

The XD 9 is fine too, but I'm a 45 shooter.

frankiestoys

September 24, 2014, 07:18 PM

None of your choices are bad except I might pass in the Taurus...have you looked at any Sig's ?'I recently picked up a 2022 in 9mm and I've been very pleased with it (429$) and its a lot of gun! I'm not a Glock fan ( and yes i owned a couple) there just not for me .The SA are is a good choice ,they seem to get a lot of praise of your choices I would go with the SA but go check out the Sig too.

MICHAEL T

September 24, 2014, 07:31 PM

NO Taurus 1911 or any Taurus . I have owned 3 and only 1 worked from box .Factory service terrible was my experience .

NO ported barrels need apply

jhb

September 24, 2014, 10:02 PM

I voted before I read the details. I voted xd9......but im switching my vote since you want the ported barrel version to the xdm45.

I sure like glocks but in 9mm, .357sig, .45acp, and 10mm forms.

I like xds but not ported.

I love 1911's but not taurus.

Bad_Wolf

September 24, 2014, 10:35 PM

They all will probably be fine, but my question would be why this group?

2 reasons: I've owned all of them in some form or fashion over the years and had good luck. Also, price

The XD9 is a pretty good gun. Why do you want a ported barrel? What's wrong with a regular XD9?

It's not really that I want a ported barrel, just happened to see one at a decent price. Don't have strong feelings one way or the other when it comes to this

There are lots of 1911's available, why the Taurus? Their reputation is not good.

Again, availabilty. Just happened to see it, really. I've owned several 1911's from colt and springfield down to rock island armory. I've had more issues with the higher end guns than the low end, so the taurus name didn't scare me. Not in love with it or anything, just had good luck in the past with lower end guns. Having read a little more about them it does give me pause, but still on the fence.

Remember, the reason we have Gen 4 Glocks at all is because of the previous Generations of .40S&W Glocks. If you want a Glock in .40S&W you would be better off with a Gen 4. Any reason you're not interested in a G17/G19? You mention the XD9 above so apparently 9mm is an OK choice. Glocks best guns are typically the 9mm models, G17/G19/G34.

What's changed between gen 2 and 4? I see they added finger grooves and I know some (not sure what gen) have adjustable backstraps but other than that what improvements/changes were made? I had a gen 2 glock 22 and never had an issue. Also, I'd consider the 17/19 as well. No problems with 9mm in general.

[/QUOTE]

Bad_Wolf

September 24, 2014, 10:37 PM

None of your choices are bad except I might pass in the Taurus...have you looked at any Sig's ?'I recently picked up a 2022 in 9mm and I've been very pleased with it (429$) and its a lot of gun! I'm not a Glock fan ( and yes i owned a couple) there just not for me .The SA are is a good choice ,they seem to get a lot of praise of your choices I would go with the SA but go check out the Sig too.
ONly issue with the sig is the da/sa trigger. Never have liked those (by any manufacturer). I know they make a fine weapon though

Bad_Wolf

September 24, 2014, 10:40 PM

NO ported barrels need apply

Just out of curiosity, why no ported barrels? I've have little experience with them but none of it bad. I see several people with the same opinion on ported barrel, just wondering why

Bad_Wolf

September 24, 2014, 10:45 PM

That's the hard part, I'm decent (not great but decent) with any/all of them. If I had to pick one, I'd probably say the 1911 is my favorite. But the glocks and springfields never fail (in my experience at least). I love how slim the 1911 is and carried a full sized one concealed with no issues. I like that the XD I can tell in the dark if there's a round in the chamber and whether it's cocked or not. Grip reminds me of 1911.

JTQ

September 25, 2014, 12:30 AM

What's changed between gen 2 and 4? I see they added finger grooves and I know some (not sure what gen) have adjustable backstraps but other than that what improvements/changes were made?
The key feature to the Gen 4 guns is the dual recoil spring. The G22 and G23 really needed it, the other guns G17/G19/G20/G21 etc, really don't.

From Hilton Yam at Modern Service Weapons

http://modernserviceweapons.com/?p=171

Same with .40 – the M&P was designed for the .40, with steel chassis for increased rigidity and none of the durability or function issues of the Glock 22. Oddly, the 9mm was shoehorned into the M&P platform rather than the reverse which is true for Glock, and it is therefore the weakest model of the M&P.

http://modernserviceweapons.com/?p=7556#more-7556

If you are shooting .40 because of departmental constraints, then the playing field has leveled out a bit with the production of the Gen4 Glock, which offers a purpose built dual recoil spring system which significantly softens the recoil and promotes greater longevity than the Gen3 guns. Function with attached weapon lights is also dramatically improved in the Gen4. Only 2 years ago, the clear choice in .40 was the M&P, but now users have the added option of the Gen4 Glock 22 or 23.

JDR

September 25, 2014, 03:59 AM

I would like to write in my Gen4 Glock 21 .45 ACP, I think it is way better than my Gen4 Glock 22. My 21 shoots steel, aluminum, and (of course) brass case ammo with ease. It's great to be able to shoot a .45 with ammo that is cheaper than most brass-case 9mm ammo!

Cee Zee

September 25, 2014, 04:51 AM

I have a XDm in .40S&W and a Taurus PT-145 Millennium Pro which is a .45 ACP. The Taurus is a far superior gun in almost every way. It's more accurate and has been more dependable. What else is there? Do I think it will last 150 years? No I don't. But I've put about 5000 rounds through it without a single problem of any kind. When I bought my XDm it had a serious feeding issue (I bought it used with a no questions asked return policy though so I sent it in to SA to get it fixed and it has worked perfectly since). But the SA still isn't as accurate and I don't think a XDm in .45 would fire multiple rounds in a hurry without losing a good bit of accuracy. The Taurus I have recoils straight back into my hands and that makes firing double taps and more an easy proposition.

Still Taurus has spotty quality control. Most people get good examples (check out the Taurus board sometime). If you get a good one chances are it will stay that way a while. I bought mine with a 30 day no questions asked guarantee from my LGS though. Without that I may not have bought it. I actually had it in my mind to buy a Glock that day. I just can never fan a Glock that feels good in my hand. But I wouldn't have even considered buying one without that guarantee. I would now though.

I've never regretted buying my Taurus. I used it to check out some suspicious activity just tonight. It is an amazing package actually. It holds a lot of ammo in a small space and it has never let me down. But whether it will stay that way as long as some of your other choices is another matter. BTW I don't think my SA is built to last 100 years like some guns are, but it's done 5 years without a hitch. No guarantees you will get another one as good but I love mine.

vaalpens

September 25, 2014, 04:12 PM

ONly issue with the sig is the da/sa trigger. Never have liked those (by any manufacturer). I know they make a fine weapon though
It also depends on your price range. SIG's are normally a bit more expensive unless you go for SP2022 (great gun), P250 (DAO) or maybe even the new P320 (striker fired). I would rather buy a Sig CPO (certified pre-owned) before buying a used gun, unless you are able to check everything out on the used gun.

Teachu2

September 25, 2014, 06:44 PM

I have around three dozen handguns, and the only exact duplicate is a pair of G23s (out of 12 Glocks). They are extremely versatile, as they are the same size as a G19 but capable of shooting 9mm, .40, or .357Sig with a quick and simple barrel change. Mine both work great with the original 40/357 mags, even with 9mm ammo. Easy to shoot to combat accuracy, reliable as can be, small enough to carry concealed.

TfflHndn

September 25, 2014, 10:10 PM

I'd go with the 1911, because I like them. I have had no problem with Taurus, but second the recommendation above that you look at Rock Island for a good quality 1911 for not a lot of money. Glock grips just don't fit my hand well, so I don't own any. I won't buy a gun that I won't enjoy shooting. Too many good alternatives that I will enjoy.

Yet another "none of the above" but have you considered the M&P 45 (http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_765739_-1_757782_757781_757781_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y)? Why or why not?

I don't have any of them but I can't find anything not to like about the M&P in general. If there is something not to like, tell me.

Bad_Wolf

September 28, 2014, 06:39 PM

I would like to write in my Gen4 Glock 21 .45 ACP, I think it is way better than my Gen4 Glock 22. My 21 shoots steel, aluminum, and (of course) brass case ammo with ease. It's great to be able to shoot a .45 with ammo that is cheaper than most brass-case 9mm ammo!
My only beef with the 21 is the size of it. I see that it has the interchangeable back straps now so that may make the difference. I have big, meaty hands and the 21 was just a tad too big

Bad_Wolf

September 28, 2014, 06:40 PM

Yet another "none of the above" but have you considered the M&P 45 (http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_765739_-1_757782_757781_757781_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y)? Why or why not?

I don't have any of them but I can't find anything not to like about the M&P in general. If there is something not to like, tell me.
I've never held/shot one, so can't say one way or the other. The guns on the list are ones that I've owned and shot and done well with.

Bad_Wolf

September 28, 2014, 06:42 PM

Why any 9mm has a ported barrel is beyond me.

This being said, hard to provide advice without knowing what the intended purpose is. Home defense, carry gun, just a range blaster? Give more info and you'll get better opinions...
It'll pretty much be an all around gun. Need it to be able to do a little of everything. Home defense is not as critical since I have a 12 gauge, german shepherd, and alarm system.

GLOOB

September 28, 2014, 11:37 PM

I prefer vintage gen 3 Glocks in 9mm. For 40SW, I would prefer the full size 22, but in a vintage gen 3 or a gen 4. That said, I am torn by your choices. I am stupid for Glock, but for various reasons I wouldn't go out of my way to seek out either of those two models.

OTOH, I don't mind the high bore axis of an XD in 40SW so much. But I don't like it in 9mm, at all.

I know Gen 2 Glock 40's have generous feed ramps and chamber cuts, but I might go in that direction for the money. G22 is a bit better at handling the recoil of the 40, and 15 rounds just seems so much better than 13, esp when you load 6-7 extra mags for the range.

I would never buy an XD in 45, because the G21 exists. :)

Bad_Wolf

September 29, 2014, 10:36 AM

I prefer vintage gen 3 Glocks in 9mm. For 40SW, I would prefer the full size 22, but in a vintage gen 3 or a gen 4. That said, I am torn by your choices. I am stupid for Glock, but for various reasons I wouldn't go out of my way to seek out either of those two models.

OTOH, I don't mind the high bore axis of an XD in 40SW so much. But I don't like it in 9mm, at all.

I know Gen 2 Glock 40's have generous feed ramps and chamber cuts, but I might go in that direction for the money. G22 is a bit better at handling the recoil of the 40, and 15 rounds just seems so much better than 13, esp when you load 6-7 extra mags for the range.

I would never buy an XD in 45, because the G21 exists. :)
Why gen 3 instead of 4? Haven't been keeping up lately so not sure of the differences